Losing My Imagination
by GoinWeird
Summary: Jace didn't know what was wrong. The color, it wasn't coming out right. Why wasn't she able to imagine the way she used to? When Pitch and Fae are after Jace and the Guardians, she has to try to fight without her sole power. Will she be able to beat them, or die trying? Jackrabbit!
1. Chapter 1

Darkness. That was all Fae could see. Even though it did not bother her, she could tell that it was quite cold.

"You are finally awake. I was so worrie for a moment." said a dark, cold voice said. A pair of golden eyes were staring into her own.

"Pitch Black? What do you want from me?" Fae asked, even though it sounded more like a demand than a question.

Pitch revealed himself from the dark shadows. He had on a long cloak, cover his body. Fae looked at him. He looked stronger.

"I want to help you. Jace has destroyed your castle, correct?"

Fae nodded slowly.

"I just want the same thing you do. I want power, control, belief. Isn't that what you want as well?" Pitch asked.

"Exactly... how did you know about my castle?" Fae asked.

Pitch just shrugged. "I have been watching the Guardians very closely. And I see that they helped a young spirit. Jace, right? She's your... sibling?"

Fae snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Sadly, yes. She's worthless. The only reason she ever defeated me was because-"

"The Guardians, and The Man in the Moon helped her. She's not as worthless as you think. I thought Jack Frost was worthless. I ended up being humiliated by him. But, we have something common."

Far raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean? What do we have in common?"

Pitch smirked. "First off, we both want to get what we want. We both want power, and lots of it."

Fae smirked. "This is true. I do love power."

Pitch knew he was convincing her.

"Also, we both have a personal vendetta against certain people. For me, the Guardians of Childhood and for you, your sisters Aurora Evergreen and Jace Create."

Fae nodded. "What do you need me for? If you know this is true, why don't you just fight the Guardians while I fight my sisters?"

Pitch looked at her with his burning golden eyes.

"Because, two is better than one. Jace and her male friend are very close to the Guardians. We can defeat them together at the same time. The imagination is linked to all of the Guardians centers. If Jace loses her power..."

The fact dawned of Fae. "Then the Guardians will fall as well. That is brilliant! But, how would we be able to take her imagination away."

Pitch pulled out a large book. It looked old but sturdy. Fae took it from his hand and dusted it off.

The book title was _Incridionus._

"What is this? How will this book help us defeat our enemies?" Fae asked.

Pitch smiled. "It is a spell book. A few months ago, I found this book in my library in my library a few months ago. I have been studying the spells in this book, and I found one that looked particularly interesting."

Fae looked at the book. Then at Pitch. Maybe he really was trying to help her.

"Then why did you ask me? Why didn't you just carry this plan out yourself?"

Pitch stared her deep in her icy blue eyes.

"Because, I need you and you need me. We can help each other and take down the Guardians and Jace."

Fae smiled deviously.

"I agree with your plan. But what spell could possibly be strong enough to take away Jace's entire imagination?"

The book opened and flipped to a page. Fae read the whole page, which explained what the spell was and what it could do. Fae smiled again.

"I don't think I've ever seen such an evil fairy queen smile so much."

Fae looked at him." Your plan is brilliant. It might take a while, but it will be worth it. Jace and her little friends will never see this coming. We will be able to humiliate them, then destroy them."

"Correct. No more hopes, no more dreams or wonder or snow days or quarters under every child's pillow."

They both looked at each other and smiled.

"And no more imagination. You are quite the smart one, Kozmotis."

Pitch looked into her eyes. I know. Trust me, I know."

They walked through the lair, avoiding the bird cages. Every nightmare bowed at their feet. Their footsteps echoed through the darkness, causing fear to shoot through every shadow. They finally reached the large Globe of Faith.

"Every child's light will be put out, and we will be more powerful than ever before." said Pitch, all the lights shining in his eyes as welll as hers.

Fae looked at the Globe curiously. Every light was a child. Did that mean Jace was on it as well. She decided she would keep it to herself.

"We will finally get the power we deserve, won't we Pitch?"

Pitch nodded." Of course, Fae. Who else deserves such great power other than us."

The spell was excellent. There was no doubt in her mind about it. The spell looked very convincing, but the idea of taking away Jace's power was brilliant.

"Cold and Dark go good together."


	2. Chapter 2

"Uggh! Why isn't the color coming out right?! Everytime I make I try it comes out different!" Jace yelled at herself.

Marion was sitting near the lake, splashing his feet in the clear water. Marion seemed to be able to think better when he looked at himself, especially in water. Neither of them knew where they were and they didn't care either.

Marion turned to Jace, who was trying to paint but seemed to be having trouble. That was odd to him, since she could create any color possible with her imagination. How could she be having problems with one simple color?

"Why are you having so much trouble with making colors? Are you alright?" Marion asked worriedly.

Jace just shrugged. "I don't know. It just doesn't seem to come out the way I want it to. And I keep on making simple mistakes. It is unusual, but I'll be fine."

Jace put her sketchbook and paintbrush back in her back in her bag and sat next to Marion, taking off her shoes and socks and dipping her feet in the water.

Jace laid her head on her guardian's shoulder and sighed. She didn't know what was going on with her. Sometimes, she would have random shots of pain in her head that would only last for a second, but lately, they lasted even longer. She pushed it aside, thinking it was minor.

But now, she couldn't make color as easily as she could before. Making color used to be a piece of cake for her. Now, she felt something was happening. And it wasn't good either.

"Marion, if something was wrong with me, what would you do?" Jace asked.

Marion looked at her. "I would never stop until I've searched the world trying to find a cure to make you feel better again. I don't know what I would do without you. If I lost you, I would die of sadness."

Jace smiled. She knew that Marion cared about her and would never do anything to hurt her. He was always there for her, even when she was fighting Fae. He used to be a huntsman and a knight, but gladly gave that up to be by her side.

"Marion...I think something is wrong with me."

Marion immediately cupped her chin and looked into her eyes. He examined all of her features, looking for any signs of sickness or anything odd. He sighed and gave her a soft yet sloppy kiss on her cheek, his short, stubby beard tickling her face.

"What's wrong? Is it because of these random migraines you've been having?" Marion asked.

Jace nodded. "But it's not just that. I don't know how I could get colors of all things wrong. It just doesn't seem right."

Marion nodded and looked at his reflection. He had long white hair, despite never aging over 21. His hair was always getting in the way but he liked it.

What was he going to do about Jace? Who would be able to help her? Something must be happening to her imagination if she is having problems with making color.

Maybe North could help her...

"What if I'm...dying? What if the world loses all its color with me?" Jace asked, worried for her life. At first, it seemed to be a little problem, she could just ignore it. But it was no laughing matter. She could be having a serious problem. What if she was right? What if she was...dying?

Marion made Jace look him in his dark midnight blue eyes.

"Jace, I will never let that happen. You're going to be alright. I'll do anything in my power to fix this problem. Jace, I vowed to protect you and keep you safe. I'll make sure you get better."

Jace hugged him. Marion always knew how to make her feel better.

"I know, Marion. I know you will always protect me from danger. I'm just worried. What is happening to me? Why is this happening to me? And so suddenly?"

Marion looked at her. She was small but she had the biggest heart. Jace was brave and strong for her young age. He probably wouldn't say this to her, but Jace was his hero. His inspiration.

He loved her. That was something he would gladly say to anyone.

"AGGGGHHH! UGGGGGGHHHH! AHHHH!" Jace screamed holding onto her head

Marion picked her up and held her to his chest.

The pain was agonizing and extremely painful. It felt like her brain was ripping apart. Her mind was being stabbed with painful headaches. Soon,the pain finally dulled down and stopped.

"Marion...it's getting worse and worse. I need help."

Marion put her on her feet, but Jace stumbled down to the floor. Jace struggled to get up, so Marion helped her up to her feet. Jace leaned on him, trying to unscramble her mind. What was happening? Was she sick?

"Jace, we need to get you help. You cannot keep suffering this pain anymore. I am taking you Santoff Claussen. North may be able to help."

Jace nodded. "Can I ride on your back?"

Marion nodded and Jace climbed onto his back and Marion and he carried her on his back.

"Jace, I'm sorry, but I need you to imagine and take us to North's"

Jace nodded and tried to imagine Santa's workshop. She finally imagined the large workshop and arrived.

"Jace, we're here." Marion announced to her. Jace didn't answer. And she suddenly felt...heavier."

Marion tried to shake her on his back, but she didn't awake. She had passed out just from just transporting. She was seriously in danger.

Marion ran into the workshop and pushed through every elf and yeti. Some tried to stop him but none actually caught him.

Marion found North talking to the rest of the Guardians near the Globe of Faith.

"North! North I need your help!" Marion yelled. North turned to him laughed.

"Marion! I did not expect to see you again! What can I do for you?" North asked in his loud, jolly voice.

"This is no laughing matter, North. Jace is hurt. She can't imagine properly and she's having random headaches. I need your help."

North looked at Jace on his back. She was slowly stirring back to consciousness.

"Come with me to infirmary. We can try to find out what's wrong."

Marion followed him to the infirmary.

He hoped that she was alright. He didn't know what he would without her.


	3. Chapter 3

It was dark. Cold and dark. Jace couldn't see anything. It was all black.

Jace could hear her name being called in the distance.

"Jace! Jace!" a voice called out. Jace couldn't open her mouth. The voice was echoing against stone walls that were covered in dark shadows. Jace struggled to open her mouth, but it wasn't letting out a sound.

Jace couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She couldn't imagine.

All she could do was breathe. In. Out. In and out. Her breath was slow and steady.

Jace saw a small beam of light. She could hear voices. Very familiar voices. She could hear Marion talking to someone. The voice sounded jolly and loud. North?

The light became brighter and brighter, the voices around her becoming clearer as the light shined brighter.

Jace finally opened her eyes. The world looked was becoming clear and she could see Marion and North looking at her. She blinked a few times and tried to sit up, but failed.

"Jace! Are you okay? How do you feel?" Marion asked, his voice laced with fear and happiness.

He was so worried about Jace. She had been unconscious all day. He knew she was having a little difficulty with her imagination, but this proved that something was wrong. Very wrong.

Jace nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine. I feel...dizzy. Can I get some water?"

North went to get some water and Marion felt her forehead. Her temperature was fine. North returned to the infirmary with her request glass of water and Jace gulped it down.

"Jace, I hear you have been having problems. You have headaches, no?" North said to her.

Jace nodded. "It's not just that. I can't seem to make color properly. It always comes out different then how I want it to."

North nodded. "I will try to find out problem in library. You two may stay here in guest rooms."

Marion picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. Jace felt like she would sink in her bed as soon as she felt its soft touch.

"Marion...am I going to be okay?" Jace asked.

Marion looked at her and nodded. "You're going to be fine. Don't worry. You'll be alright."

Marion reached her room and tucked her in bed. "Goodnight, my little warrior."

Jace smiled softly. "Goodnight."

Marion left and went to his own room. Once he got in, he jumped on his bed, loving the feeling of the fluffy, soft bed. After a while, Marion fell into a deep sleep.

Jace had fallen asleep as well, but neither of them had any dreams. Jace could only see darkness. She felt alone. It was so dark...and cold. She couldn't hear or see anything. Jace felt trapped. Trapped in a small black room. It was suffocating. She felt as if she would never break free. What is she didn't break free? What if she was stuck in this darkness?

Marion was twisting and turning in his sleep. Images were flashing before him. His dreams were being covered in complete darkness. Images of Jace started to appear at a very quick pace. Even though they were going by quickly, he could tell the Jace was always hurt in every image.

Marion was shifted frantically in sleep. He kept trying to get out of the darkness, but his attempts were getting him nowhere. His breath was harsh and heavy and his forehead started to sweat.

Two evil smiles appeared in the darkness.

"AHHHH!"

Jace woke up from the loud, masculine scream. She got out of her bed and made her way to Marion's room. Jace hesitantly opened the door and turned on the dim light to see Marion laying his head against the large headboard of the bed. He was looking at the ceiling, breathing very heavily.

"Marion...are you alright?" Jace asked softly and quietly. Marion looked at her. His emotions weren't always easy to read, but Jace could tell something was wrong.

"I am...fine. I'm just...thinking. That's all." Marion replied.

Jace turned off the light and climbed into his bed. Marion looked at her confused. What was she doing?

"Jace, what are you doing? Aren't you going back to your room?"

Jace looked at him. Her eyes were dark brown, but it seemed to brighten the entire room.

"I'm going to sleep with you...so you don't scared again. It's better than sleeping alone, right?"

Marion smiled and laid down next to her, bringing her closer to him.

"Right."

Jace soon fell asleep, but Marion didn't. He couldn't. He just had a nightmare. And it wasn't an ordinary nightmare. The nightmare was based on his fears. His fear of losing Jace. His fear of not being able to protect her.

He pulled Jace closer to his chest. In Jace's light slumber, she could feel the warmth of his body. She could hear his steady heartbeat in her ears.

Thud-ump. Thud-ump. Thud-ump. Thud-ump.

Marion looked out the window. The Moon was full and shining brightly. He sighed heavily. He didn't know if he should tell Jace about his nightmare or just put it aside.

Did his nightmare have anything to do with Jace's problem? Marion knew he probably shouldn't keep this to himself, but he didn't want to worry her.

Marion stared at the Moon. How could he possibly be able to protect Jace? Why did he ever agree to do this?

But, he already knew the answer to that. It was because he loved her. They were very close and he didn't want her to get hurt.

Marion let out another sigh and looked at Jace. She was sleeping peacefully on his chest. Marion stroked her white and brown hair. She was small and looked peaceful. She was so young yet so strong. He hoped that her problem didn't become too serious.

He didn't want to lose her.

Marion was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that he didn't realize two pairs of eyes watching him from the corner of the dim lit room.

The eyes looked at each other. They knew their work was done. At least for now.


	4. Chapter 4

Jace woke up to feel the sun shining brightly on her chocolate colored skin. It took a few moments for her to realize that Marion wasn't next to her anymore.

Jace rubbed the sleepy feeling out of her eyes and got out of bed.

She opened the door, her ears instantly being filled with the sounds of yetis and elves at work. Jace walked down to North's office and knocked on the door. She could hear large, loud footsteps coming closer and closer.

North opened the door and greeted her with a hug.

"Jace! Had good sleep?" Jace giggled at his jolly manner. It seemed that North was always happy, no matter how bad the situation might be. When she had to fight Fae Ice, all he ever did was make her smile.

"Yes, very good. But, I don't know if I can say the same for Marion. Did you see him?"

North nodded and pointed down the stairs. "He went to kitchen with Yuletide. Probably eating."

Jace nodded and headed down the stairs. As North closed the door, she could hear him yell at some elves for eating his cookies.

Jace ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, avoiding the crazy elves and yetis. Jace ran into the kitchen to see Marion at the table, talking to Yuletide, who was making pancakes.

"Good morning, guys." Jace said. Yuletide saw her and smiled.

"Good morning! Hungry?" Yuletide said, putting down a plate of stacked pancakes on the table. Jace nodded and sat down at the large table next to Marion, who was picking at his food, as if he weren't hungry.

Yuletide put a plate of pancakes in front of her. Jace thanked her and dug into the fluffy pancakes on her plate.

Jace looked at Marion and saw that he wasn't eating. He also looked very tired, ad if he didn't sleep last night.

"Marion? Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Marion looked at her and gave her a weak smile. He tried not to make Jace worry too much about him. Especially when she was the one to be worried about.

"I'm fine. I guess i'm just not that hungry." He answered. Jace still wasn't convinced. Was he up all night while she was asleep? Did his scream have something to do with his lack of sleep?

"Are you sure? You look like you didn't sleep at all last night."

Marion nodded and went back to picking at his food. He was up all night becaise he was afraid of his nightmare. He didn't want to see those images again. They were based on his fear of losing Jace. That he might not be able to protect her.

Jace finished her pancakes and sighed happily. She looked at Marion and replaced her smile with a frown. Despite what he said, he didn't look okay. Maybe he was tired.

"Marion, you look a bit tired. Do you want to go back to bed?"

Marion looked at her and shook his head.

"No...I'm fine. Excuse me, I need to talk to North about something." Marion got up and walked out of the kitchen. Yuletide looked at his plate to see he barely ate any of his pancakes.

"Marion not hungry? I thought being knight would raise big appetite." Yuletide said to Jace.

Jace sighed. "Marion was probably tired. He doesn't look so good. He was screamig last night." Jace said.

"Jace, he will be fine. You are the one we should worry about. I heard you are having problems with imagination. What's wrong?"

Jace looked down at her hands.

"Well...I can't make colors properly. It doesn't seem to come out the way I want it to. I keep having splitting headaches at random moments. They used to be very short, but now...they're getting worse. I don't know what's happening to me." Jace explained sadly. She knew that her friends would help her through this, but...if this really is a life or death situation, there was no way of knowing if they would be able to save her in time.

Yuletide nodded, showing that she understood her situation.

"Maybe this is affect of new power. You did faint when you got power to see your past."

Jace gave her a weak smile, but inside...she wanted to cry. All of this was so confusing...she didn't know what to do.

A tear slipped from her eye and landed on her arm, slowly sliding down.

"But...if you really aren't okay...we will help. We can help you, Jace."

Yuletide and Jace shared a hug. Yuletide always made her feel better. They were very close and Jace couldn't help but smile around her.

"Excuse me. I'm going to talk to Marion and North for a moment. I want to make sure that he's alright." Jace said as she got up from her seat. Jace walked up the stairs, looking for any signs of the former knight.

Jace walked into his room, seeing that he wasn't here either. Jace looked around, feeling that something just wasn't right.

The room was oddly cold. Freezing more like it. The sun was shining through the large window, but it wasn't warm. The room was in the same condition, but to her...something felt different. And not different in a good way.

Jace walked to the side of the bed, looking under the sheets.

Jace stared at what she found. She had never seen anything like it before. It looked like dreamsand...but not exactly.

The sand was black. There wasn't much of it, but it was odd to fin it in a bed.

Jace took the small amount of black sand into her hand and put it in her cupped hand. She ran out the room and up to the large office door. She knocked on the door loudly and stared at the black sand in her small hands.

North walked up to the door to see Jace.

"North! Did you see Marion? I found black sand in his bed! And I don't think he slept last night! I'm really worried about him!"

North nodded and cupped his hands under hers. Jace poured the black sand into the his large hands.

North led her inside his large office. Jace walked in to see Marion sitting on a chair beside North's desk.

North walked over to Marion and showed him the black sand in his hand.

"I believe this is why you had nightmare. Pitch must have snuck in." North said, a bit of anger in his voice.

Jace looked at Marion. "That's why you screamed last night. And that's why you stayed up all night."

Marion nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't want you to worry. You already have enough to worry about."

North patted him on the back an smiled.

"Do not worry. I think I understand why this had happened. Manny helped me out un library. I will call friends."

Jace smiled. They might be able to help her. She just hoped that nothing serious was happening to her. Or the Guardians may not be able to help after all.


	5. Chapter 5

The soft snow glistened in the dull moonbeams shining through the night. The Northern Lights brightened the dark, midnight blue sky with its bold colors. North had told her that the lights would call the Guardians when there was important business to attend to.

Jace stared out the window, the pure white scenery taking her breath away. It reminded her of the Snow Palace. Everyday, she would stare out of her window, her heart wishing to just fly away with the soft wind. She knew deep down that she could never be happy living with Fae. They were too different. Jace loved color and Fae loved white. They were destined to turn against each other.

Jace sighed, remembering every moment of the fight. How scared she was. She never thought she could do it. She never knew that she had such extraordinary powers.

Jace laid her head on North's office window, feeling a bit tired. North walked in and put on a jolly smile. Jace looked into his shimmering blue eyes, filled with wonder, happiness and concern.

"They have arrived. Please come with me. I need you to explain your problem." North said with a hint of seriousness.

Jace nodded and slowly followed behind North into the large globe room. Everyone was sitting comfortably, chatting about the small things that popped into their heads. Jace looked at everyone, but stopped when she saw Jack and Bunny together on a love seat. They're such a cute couple.

North patted her on the back and brought her forward. Jace waved to everyone, and they all gladly greeted her.

"Jace here, is having a problem. She needs our help." North explained. He looked at Jace as if to say "go on."

Jace looked around the room, every eye looking at her. Her throat swelled, not wanting any words to slip from her tongue. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to start talking.

"Well...I've been having some problems. I-I can't make c-color p-properly." Jace began to stutter. "It always comes out wrong. I keep having random headaches and they're excruciatingly painful. T-They used to be short but n-now they last longer. Y-Yesterday...I fainted when I imagined. Me and Marion were coming to Santoff Claussen and I fainted after I imagined to get us here. I think something's wrong." Jace explained, tears stinging her eyes. The lump in her throat was growing larger and larger.

Tooth buzzed over and hugged her tightly. Jace hugged back, salty tears falling onto the soft, colorful feathers. Jace sobbed in Toothiana's arms, wishing that she could stay there forever. The comfort of someone's arms around her made her want to melt.

"Hush...it'll be okay, Jace. We're all here to help you. We always will." Tooth whispered into Jace's ear.

Jace held her tight and tried to stop the flow of tears in her eyes. After a few moments, Jace had stopped her tears from staining the Tooth Fairy's feathers, only letting out little hiccups and sniffs.

"I'm s-sorry. I-I-I'm just so scared! I'm scared that I'm-might be d-d-dying!" Jace cried. Tooth gasped and held her tighter.

Jack flew up to her and rubbed her back. Jace looked at him with her tear stained eyes and gave him a weak smile. But the smile didn't last long as fear began to take over her thoughts.

The Guardians were so distracted by Jace' breakdown, they didn't even realize the moonlight shining on them, or more specifically Jace. Jace let a few more tears slip from her eyes. Jace wiped her face with the back of her hand and let go of everyone.

"I...just don't know what to do. I need help. Lots of help." Jace said so softly, she was barely audible to her own ears.

"Paintbrush, ya don't have ta worry about a thing. We're gonna help ya. Yer gonna be 'lright."

Jace turned around an looked out the large window, seeing that the Moon was looking straight at her, a small frown on his face.

"What's wrong with me? Please... I need to know." Jace said, emphasizing every word. She needed an answer.

_You and the Guardians don't have much time. You are in great danger. Pitch Black and Fae Ice are taking something away from every child. If they take this away from them, the Guardians centers will slowly fade away. And so will you._

Jace fell down to her knees and and let her head hang low. Fae Ice was back. And she was working with Pitch Black. The Boogeyman. Master of Nightmares. What were they doing to her? Was she really going to die if their plans continued?

"What are they doing to me? What are they doing?" Jace asked, the fear evident in her small, squeaky voice. Her eyes began to sting again, but she refused to let them flow. She was being to emotional, too doubtful. She could get through this.

_Something very important to every child's life. It is the source of all of the Guardians centers. Their centers will slowly fade away if they continue with their plan._

_Their taking your-_

"AAAaAGGGGGHHHHH! UUUUUUGHHNNNNNNNGGG! AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Jace began to scream at the top of her lungs as she clutched her head. The pain...it was unbearable! Jace held her head, gripping tighter, trying to stop the throbbing pain.

They all ran up to her, trying to help her. Jace began to feel light headed and nauseous. The pain began to dull down, but Jace couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

Jace fell against the body she was leaning on, trying to hold on to the figure. Her eyesight began to haze, becoming darker and darker with every passing second. The world became black and Jace completely blacked out, letting her body weight drop.

Marion picked her up and cradled her.

"Moon...please. We need your help. She can't take this much longer. What is wrong with her?" Marion pleaded desperately.

The moon stayed quiet for a moment.

"...please..."

_She is...losing her...imagination._


	6. Chapter 6

Jace woke up to see that she had been returned to her bedroom.

She couldn't believe it. Losing her imagination? Her sole power was being taken away from her? How could this be possible?

Jace groaned at the dizzy feeling in her head as she tried to sit up. She laid back down, not wanting to move from the soft, cozy feeling that surrounded her body.

Jace sighed and closed her eyes. She was right all along. She really was dying. Everyone's imagination would be forever lost and there was nothing she could do.

The bed room door opened, and Jace could hear wings beating at a quick pace. Jace opened her eyes to see Tooth's silhouette at the doorway.

"Jace? Are you awake?" Tooth asked softly.

"Yeah...I'm awake. What happened?"

Tooth sighed softly and sat at the foot of her bed and gave her a soft smile, trying to cheer up the little girl before she got the bad news.

"Pitch Black is back...and your sister is with him. They're using an ancient spell to take away your powers, so that you and all of the Guardians will...die. But don't worry. We won't let that happen. We're gonna stop them."

Jace stared into deep into the fairy's violet eyes. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

Tooth moved closer and moved the hair that was in front of Jace's eyes. They were filled with fear and hope. Something she has never seen before.

"I can't believe this...they want to kill me? To get rid of you guys? I can't believe Fae would go so far just to get what she wants."

Jace closed her eyes, not wanting to think about her sister's devious plans.

"Tooth...could you take me somewhere? I would like to see someone. She's very important to me."

Toth nodded, knowing that it was probably Sophie. They were so close, even though they haven't seen each other much.

Jace slowly got out of her bed, ignoring the light-headed feeling she had. They both got up from the bed and walked out of the room, looking for North.

Tooth flew off, while Jace walked to his office to see if he was in there.

Jace opened the door to see that North wasn't inside the spacious office. Jace saw the large race track on his desk and unconciously walked up to it.

The race track was made of...ice. I. Was well built and very creative.

"I see you like the track." said a booming voice behind her. The voice startled Jace and turned around quickly to see North at the doorway.

"S-Sorry. I was looking for you, but the race track distracted me. It looks really cool! Did you this out of ice?"

North smiled widely and nodded. " What did you need?"

Jace looked down into her hands. She had done so much with them. They used to be her everything. But without her imagination...they were nothing. There was no use for them without her imagination.

"Um...I was going to ask if I could use one of your snow-globes. I want to go see Sophie."

North nodded slowly and reached into his pocket for one. He held it out to her, but was surprised when he got a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Jace hugged him tightly, the warmth making her feel safe and secure. He had helpe her so much. She just wished she could do so in return.

"North, I love you. You've...You've done so much for me. I just...I don't know how...I love you so much."

North stared down at her, for once, not knowing what to say.

North just hugged back, the hug saying all the words for him. Jace let go and slowly took the snow- globe out of the large man's hand.

Jace ran out of the room, her heart filled with excitement and fear. How would she tell Sophie?

Jace shook her head, not wanting to ask such impossible questions. She held out her hand and looked into the magic snow globe.

"Um...can you...take me to Sophie's bedroom?" Jace asked it meekly. The image in the snowglobe started to swirl, creating the perfect picture of Sophie's room.

Jace threw it in the air, the snowglobe disappearing and creatif a large portal. Jace stared at the portal with awe.

Hesitating, she walked into the portal, and immediately landed in her room. Jace shook her head, trying to get rid of the dizzy feeling tht was starting to return.

"Uh...my head." Jace moaned, holding her head. Suddenly, a flashlight shined in her eyes, making her cover her eyes with her hands.

"Jace? What are you doing here...at four in the morning?" a little boy's voice had asked through the darkness surrounding them.

"...Jamie?...Where's Sophie? I...need to tell you guys something. Something important."

Jamie sat up and turned on his lamp. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her with a sleepy smile.

"She's in her room. Her friend's over for a sleepover. WhAt are you doing here?" He asked quietly.

Jace looked around. She must've accidentally went to Jamie's room instead of Sophie's. But why was the snowglobe wrong?

"Um...I-I'm losing something. Something very important. I'll have Sophie tell you. I-It's too painful to think about." Jace's eyes began to sting but she held back the tears. She really needed to stop this. All of this crying. She wasn't nearly as emotional before. Crying would solve absolutely nothing.

Jamie nodded and got out of bed. He took Jace's hand and led her her out the door and into Sophie's room as quietly as possible. Jace held onto the doorknob and slowly opened the door, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Jamie walked im and nudged his little sister to wake her up. After a few more nudges, she woke up.

"Sophie, wake up your friend. Someone's here to see you." Jamie whispered. Sophie yawned and turned on the butterfly lamp at the side of her bed. Sophie rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned. As soon as she opened her eyes again, she smiled widely and jumped out of bed.

"Jace! Jace!" Sophie said with happiness, but still quiet. Jace smiled and hugged her. She missed her so much. It felt so nice to have the little girl in her arms.

"Hey, Sophie! I'm so glad to see you!" Jace said, but her smile was quickly replaced with a frown. "I have to tell you something. Something important."

Sophie ran around her bed to a girl who was completely covered in her sleeping bag. Sophie nudged the small figure. The figure started to shuffle and move out of the sleeping bag.

The figure was a small girl, probably a few yearsolder than Sophie, with tan skin, red hair and freckles. She had on fluffy plush pajamas covered in hearts and glasses. She was also wearing...Jace's crown.

"Wakey! Wakey! Jace is here!" Sophie said with excitment. The girl rubbed her eyes under her glasses and looked at the taller girl across the room.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the girl asked with a meek voice.

Jace walked over to her and moved her brown and white hair from her eyes.

"I'm Jace. What's your name? How old are you?" The girl stared with awe, but eventually answered.

"I'm Robin. I'm nine. How old are you? Why is your hair only have white and half brown?"

Jace just chuckled. "I bet you wouldn't even believe it. I'm 40 years old. I'm a spirit, the spirit of imagination. And my hair turned like this when the Man in the Moon turned me into a spirit. You can see me because you, like everyone else, has an imagination."

Robin's mouth hung open, hanging onto Jace's every word.

"Awesome! Can you like make stuff out of your mind and stuff?!" Robin asked with excitement. Jace then frowned, remembering her condition.

"I...use to be able to. That crown was actually mine. I'm a princess. But...I can't do what I used to do. I'm losing my power. My sister paired up with the boogeyman and now...their taking my... imagination away." Jace told them with an unsteady tone. The kids stared at her in horror.

"Jace! Your hair!" Jamie cried. Jace touched her hair. Once she saw what was dripping in her hand, she ran into Jamie's room and grabbed the snow globe on the floor. She quickly summoned to go back to North's workshop. By the time the kids got into his room, the spirit was long gone.

Jace returned to her guest room and walked up to the window, horrified by her own reflection.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Her hair. The dark brown color in her hair dripping out. It stained the tips of her Converses. And soon enough, Jace passed out.


	7. Chapter 7

She couldn't think straight. She would repeatedly faint and wake up again. Her color was completely gone. Every color was fading. Her clothes and hair were completely white, but her skin and eyes still had its chocolate brown color.

Jace laid on the floor, holding her han in pure agony. Someone was pounding on the door, sending waves of pain in her head. It was unbearable but she refused to unlock her door.

"Jace! Please! Open your door! We can help you!" Marion yelled as he banged on the large, red wooden door.

"...Nooooounngggh..." Jace continued her answer with a groan of pain.

Jace weakly grabbed the sheets on the guest bed and strained to climb onto it. After a few minutes, she finally managed to get on and lay her head on the soft pillow. Jace felt light- headed and nauseous, so she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"_Jace, Jace..."_

A voice called from the thin, crisp air around her. Jace's eyes shot open and darted around the room. She knew that voice. It was Darcy's voice. But...Darcy died...right? Jace shifted and closed her eyes, trying to forget the voice she had heard.

_"Jace! Come play with me, Jace!"_

Jace got up quickly, almost forgetting about her condition. Jace crawled to he window and opened. The voice was coming from somewhere. It sounded so close, yet so far away at the same time.

The wind pushed against her face, as if telling her something.

Jace tried to hear what it was saying, but couldn't. As if it was warning her. But...Darcy's voice...she couldn't just ignore it.

Jace sat down on the ground, closing her eyes and trusting her mind to take her to the voice.

It wasn't working though. She opened her eyes to see that there was a tiny, red, fiery essence floating in front of her. She had heard about them.

The wisps.

It disappeared, then reappeared outside of the suddenly open window. Jace slowly got up, not wanting the fiery spirit to be startled. Jace took small, steady steps. She walked to the window and stretched out her arms, catching the wisp between the palms of her hands. Jace smiled as she felt the radiant warmth of the wisp in her hands.

The wisp smiled to itself. It began to glow, putting its master plan into action. Jace noticed the glow getting blindingly bright. Jace squeezed her eyes shut and the wisp whisked her away to a abandoned area. Jace opened her eyes, noticing that her surroundings were no longer the same. It was a small dirt clearing. What was in the middle of the clearing was what made her wonder.

A old, rickety bed frame.

There wasn't even an actual bed there. It was just the frame. Jace took soft yet firm steps up to the bed frame. Under it, was a hole. Like an entrance.

_"Jace! C'mon Jace!"_

There it was again. Darcy's sweet voice filled her with gladness and pain. Jace just couldn't ignore that voice.

Jace, not really thinking about what she was doing (actually barely able to think at all in her condition) , jumped down the odd entrance through the hole.

Jace soon landed on the hard, stone floor. She looked around, but couldn't see anything. Jace got up from the cold ground and walked forward, trying to figure out where she was and where she was going.

"Where am I? What is this pla-ahh!"

Jace fell onto her face. What did she fall on? She got up and rubbed her head, the dizzy feeling now returning.

Jace weakly got up from where she had tripped and bent down to feel what she had tripped over. It felt weird. It was like a...small...cage? Maybe for birds?

Jace got up and continued into the direction she was heading. The floor began to arch, and she could tell she was on some sort of bridge.

"What is this place? Bird cages? Bridges? A bed frame? Darcy's voice? What's going on?" Jace asked to herself aloud.

"I see that our guest has arrived. Jace, correct?"

Jace darted her eyes every which way in the darkness, trying to find the owner of the voice.

"Who's there? Who are you? What is this place?"

"Your worst nightmare, Jace." said the deep, dark voice.

"Told you she was an idiot." Bow that was a voice she was all too familiar with.

Jace's brows furrowed in anger and concern.

"Fae! What are you doing? Why would you do this? You can't just kill me!...Not without a fight."

The two owners of the dark voices smile deviously at each other.

Pitch formed his sand in a large, spiky arrow, just like the one he used on Sandy and he pulled it back.

Fae frosted it over and whispered an incantation, enchanting the black sand arrow with a spell that would surely get the job done.

_"Injuan, Cantas, Vactou. Imagun intactu imaci."_ Fae's voice sounded like a harsh whisper. Pitch drew the now silver and black arrow back farther and aimed for his target.

I think we all know who would win this fight. I'll give you a chance to save yourself. If you don't, not even the Guardians will be able to help you." Fae told her sister with a tone laced with revenge and anger.

Jace still looked back and forth, hoping to at least see her figure through the depths of darkness around her.

"Try me. I'm not scared of you or him."

Fae just smiled in the darkness.

"You should be." was all she said. Jace had a confused look plastered on her face.

Immediately, the arrow was let go. It cut through the cold, musky air and it shot straight through Jace's heart, capturing a small heart shaped crystal in its grasp.

Jace let out a gasp and fell to the ground. The ground started to change and the darkness rolled away in the moonlight, revealing her guest bedroom again.

Marion heard a thud come from Jace's room and ran to it. The door was still locked, but his anxiety got to him and he broke the door knob. Marion pushed it open and ran towards the bed, seeing that she wasn't laying in it.

Marion took a quick glance, seeing that the moonlight was shining to the floor, specifically the side of the bed. Marion walked over to see someone he had yet hadn't expected.

Expecting to see a young girl with colorful clothing and knee high converses, the dim light revealed something he would have never thought he would see.

It was a woman,with white hair and in pure white clothing and...barefoot.


	8. Chapter 8

She had long white hair and soft chocolate skin. She was about 5'11, almost six feet, the exact same height as Marion. Her jeans and shirt were pure white and she was looking at Marion as if he was a stranger to her.

Maybe she wasn't joking.

The woman stirred and opened her eyes, her eyesight a little blurry.

Her vision began to clear and she saw a handsome figure before her. He had...white hair? He looks so young! The figure became clear and showed that there were actually three figures.

"Is it actually Jace? She looks like her...just older. How could this happen?" the man said with sadness. Of coarse she was her! Who are these people?!

"Who are you people?! Take me home! I don't belong here!" Jace began to fling her arms every which way. Marion tried to reatrain her but ended up being kicked back with brute force. She had certainly gotten stronger. A superhuman ability she didn't have before.

North held her arm firmly but in a gentle manner, making her immediately look at him. North looked into her eyes. They weren't brown, but a cloudly gray. As if she was blind. But North knew she could see so that was one less thing they have to worry about.

"Hello. What's your name? How did you get here?" North asked her with a soft tone, making the woman calm down.

"Jace. Jace Carter. Who are you? Where am I? Take me back to New York." the woman seemed the raise her voice at that last part.

North looked at her confused. Jace Carter? This was Jace? What happened to her?

"I'm Nicholas St. North. You can call me North. Do you remember me?"

Jace shook her head in response. Marion gave her a worried look. How could this have happened? The girl he once loved and protected was now a full grown woman. She was tall and looked to be at least twenty years old.

"Come with md to kitchen, me and Yuletide will try to explain further."

Jace the blond haired woman out of the door. North sighed and looked at Marion. Marion looked away. He had failed. He failed Tsar. The Guardians. Jace. Himself. He should have stayed with her. He knew that Fae and Pitch had something to do with this. And he didn't do anything.

"This wasn't your fault, Marion. Jace may be an adult, but I believe tht deep in her heart...she's still there We can change her back. We can find her imgination."

Marion nodded and tried to ignore the harsh sting in his eyes. He knew it wasn't his fault. But his nightmares...his fears were now becoming a reality. Jace didn't remember anything or anyone. All she remembered was her name and where she was from.

"I know...but...what if we can't change her back? I don't want to lose her, Nicholas. She's my everything. She made me who I an today. I can't lose her...after everything...I can't just lose her. Not...not like this."

North looked at him. The gaze of his baby blue eyes showed Marion that he didn't have to do this alone. The could do this together. They'll fight and get the real Jace back.

Meanwhile, Yuletide and Jace were sitting at the table. Yuletide could barely concentrate on what she was talking about. Jace's facial features were still young, but sharp. Her facial features were soft yet firm.

"So, you're saying, that I was twelve and some fairy lady queen and her boyfriend changed me into an adult? You do know that you sound crazy right?" Jace asked in her now mature voice. It was deep and feminine at the same time, which wasn't usual for most women.

Yuletide nodded. "I know. It sounds a bit crazy bu-"

"I believe you. Halfway at least. But no one has answered my question. Why am I here? I want to go home, now!"

Yuletide held Jace's hand softly, which seemed to calm her down. Jace sighed and sat down.

What was going on? Wht was she here? Who are all these people?

So much questions were swimming through her head that she became a little dizzy.

"Do not strain yourself to remember such things. Just breathe. You will catch on. Maybe talk to Marion. He is your protector. A knight."

Jace shook her head, but not in disagreement.

"Oh boy, what have I gotten into? Knights, Guardians, spirits! What else is out there? Sirens, pixies?!"

Yuletide just shrugged She was going to say yes and to stay away from such creatures, but maybe that would be a little to much to handle.

Jace walked out of the large kitchen and walked back into the room to see the man still in there, sitting on the bed with one of her sketchbooks in one hand and her satchel bag in the other.

"What are you still doing in here? And why are you looking in my sketchbook? All you had to do was ask."

Marion looked over his shoulder and gave her a small, weak smile.

"Sorry." That was all he said. Jace walked to the bed and sat next to him.

"You're the knight, right? The one the lady was talking about? Marty, right? My protector or something, yeah? Why are you looking through my stuff?"

Marion looked into her now gray eyes. The ones that used to bring color to his world.

"Marion. My name is Marion. And yes, I'm your sworn protector. These are drawings you made as Jace Create, the spirit of imagination. I didn't mean to offend you by looking into your private belongings. I guess it was just helping me...think."

Jace put a hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me I'm no spirit. I'm twenty years old and I don't remember anything This is absolutely insane. All of this spirit stuff. It sounds so nuts. I don't have an imagination. I'm not a child, I'm a woman!" Jace said.

Marion just got up and handed her the sketchbook. It was still open, flipped to a certain page he wante her to see.

"At one time, you did. You may not seem to have it now, but...you did."

Jace looked at the page in the sketchbook, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the signature at the bottom of the page of sketches.

The signiture read 'Jace Create'.


	9. Chapter 9

The sun shined through the large window and made Jace's face warm. The light shined through her eyes, making her blink into conciousness.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Jace sleepily got up from her bed and pushed open the door.

As soon as she saw what was happening, she blinked to see if this was real.

Did she just see yetis? And elves?

"You have got to be kidding? This can not be real." Jace whispered to herself.

As she headed down the door, it seemed that every elf and yeti was staring at her. A woman in full white, including her hair didn't just cross your eyes. Then again, Jace was never less than surprising.

Jace looked around, trying to find the man or the blond Russian lady she saw the day before.

After a few minutes of dodging the yetis and elves that got in her path, she finally found the kitchen and the two people she was looking for.

"Finally, I found you guys. How big is this place?!" Jace practically yelled to them, making Marion and Yuletide shake a bit.

"Sorry, probably should have started with a "hello". I'm just a bit tired I guess. Hey, can I get somethin' to eat? I'm starving."

Yuletide smiled at her weak but meaningful apology and sat her down next to the former knight.

"So, Marco...how are you this beautiful morning, hm?" Jace asked, trying to gather up a conversation. She had been a little harsh on all of them, so she would try keeping her temper to a minimum and being nice to them. They did let her stay here for the night, after all.

Marion looked at her and smiled, sweetly. Even though her memory was gone, it still was Jace. Nothing muh has changed. Now, if he could only get her to remember his name...

"My name is Marion, Jace. And it is a nice morning, isn't it?" Marion added into the conversation.

"Yeah, it's perfect, outside. Nice and sunny...so...what are we going to do today? Since I'm guessing we won't be going outside much."

"Maybe. But, we need to find out what turned you into an adult. Maybe North found something in his library..." Marion replied, but accidently trailed off into his own thoughts.

Jace looked at him with confusion drawn on her face. "North?"

Marion looked back at her. Did she not remember him from yesterday? Her short term memory loss was worst than he thought.

"The Russian man you saw yesterday. He's Yuletide's husband."

Jace made an 'o' with her lips and continued to eat. Marion noticed that she avoided the meat, as she did when she was Jace Create.

Jace was still confused. Jace Create? Who the heck is that? It definitely wasn't her. She was always Jace Carter, and she always will be. And where are they?

Marion on the other hand, was struggling to keep his eyes open. His eyelids were becoming too heavy, and the sleepy sleepy feeling he had was taking over his body.

This situation was exhausting him. He hoped that he would at least be able to fight it for today.

Marion and Jace finished their food and left the kitchen, seerating into two different paths. Marion was going to his room to take a nap, while Jace was just looking Around the loud, toy cluttered workshop.

Marion soon reached his room and plopped onto his bed. All night he couldn't sleep. He was too worried about Jace. What was going to happen to her? Would they be able to save her in time?

"Stop worrying, Marion..." He whispered to himself, "She'll get out of this. She's done it before and she can do it again."

Soon after just closing his eyes for a few minutes, he fell into deep sleep.

Little did he know that a pair of piercing, icy blue eyes were watching him from the shadows.

Meanwhile, Jace was trying to untangle the elves from the streams of Christmas lights. They kept struggling and tangling into the lights even more. It was starting to become a little frustratimg, but Jace was holding herself together pretty well.

"C'mon little guys!" Jace lightly scolded, "I can't get you out if you keep moving!"

"Good luck with that! Just leave them be. They get themselve out." said a thick accented voice from behind her. Jace whipped around to see it was the large yet muscular Russian man she had seen yesterday.

"Hey, you're North right?" Jace asked him.

North let out a hearty laugh and nodded. "Yes! Come with me! There is someone who would like to see you."

Jace nodded and followed him. Who was it? She didn't know anybody around here.

They soon reached an office and Jace saw a young woman who's arms were wrapped in...vines? And flowers? And her dress was made of leaves. Her hairs was glossy and a deep, rich black color. Eyes so green, it blinded you like a LED light.

"Who are you?" Jace asked to the woman.

Mother Nature looked at her in awe. White hair, grayish eyes, white clothing. What surprised her the most was her hair and her feet. Jace never had long hair. Jace had once told her that she despised long hair because it was too time consuming and annoying. Not that her hair ever grew since she became a spirit.

And she knew that Jace and white just don't mix. An artist like her just couldn't survive with white. Well, with an exception on the roots of her hair.

And she had no Converses on. That was like a crime to Jace. This memory loss really was bad.

"You don't remember me? I'm Aurora Evergreen, or as most know me, Mother Nature. I am your eldest sister."

Jace just looked at her confused.

"What are you talking about? I'm an only child. I don't have siblings." Jace replied, "And I thought Mother Mature was just a metaphor to describe the Earth."

Mother Nature gave her a sad smile.

"Far from a metaphor, sister. And you are my spiritual sister. We were transformed with the strongest magic, which makes our blood the same."

Jace just shrugged and smiled. "Right. And I guess you're 200 years old? Ha!"

Mother Nature began laughing as well.

"200? Try 3,000. I'm pretty old despite my looks." Mother Nature told her after her little laughing fit ceased.

Jace just stood there in awe. Was the world even that old? Cause it was certain that these people are older than the Eart itself!

"So, if you're 3,000, how old is Marcus?" Jace asked. Mother Nature cocked an eyebrow. Marcus? Who...Oh!

"You mean Marion, your protector? Oh, he's probably about 600. Seeing that he is a knight, he might havebeen born in the medieval times in the 15 century. But, we have other matters to discuss."

"Like what?" Jace asked.

"Your coming death. If we're going to save you, we need to find out why the source of your powers are disappearing."

Jace stared at her with pure sadness.

"...D-Death?"

Marion awoke, feeling refreshed and his energy was restored. Yet...something didn't feel right. As if something was different. He didn't know why he felt like this, but he just...did.

Marion got up from his bed and stretched. Maybe it was because he was sleeping for so long. He doesn't stay awake for two days straight all the time.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes and walked to his mirror. Looking at himself always made him think. As if he could read his own mind from another view.

As he walked up to the full body mirror, he felt it again. Like...wind on his back. What the heck was going on? What was this feeling?

As soon as he saw his reflection in the mirror, he didn't know if he should jump around in happiness or punch the mirror in rage.

So he did the second. He roared in anger and shattered the mirror. This wasn't suppose to happen. He had let his guard down and now he got what he though he never wanted back.

On his back were large, transparent blue, fairy wings.

Fae had took them away to "teach him respect". And after a while, he didn't even want them anymore.

But now he got them back. The wings were phased through his shirt and limp on his back.

He lifted the wings and slightly flapped them, creating a slight breeze against his body.

Marion instantly fell to his knees. He wanted to cry. But he couldn't. because all his life, he had been trained not to. He tried to hold back the sting in his eyes, but the tears were too strong, and they glided down his tan cheek.

Why? Why would she just give them back.

Didn't she understand they were too much of a burden for him to carry?


	10. Chapter 10

It felt like he had been crying for hours. But why? Why would she give him such a burden. She had taken them away, to teach him respect. And after some time, he just didn't care for them anymore. He didn't need them.

He was a knight! And he was crying over wings, of all things. He hated them.

In North's office, Jace had heard the mirror shatter, and seemed to be the only one. Mother Nature was busy telling her about who knows what and North was listening to her.

"Did ya hear that? It sounded like something broke. Like glass or something." Jace said to them, while trying to listen for other sounds.

They both looked at her confused. What was she talking about? What noise.

"What noise. I heard nothing." North replied.

"Really? You didn't hear that?" Jace asked them. They both shook their heads.

Jace raised an eyebrow and opened the door outside, looking both ways.

"I'll be back." Jace simply said as she walked out of the room and searched for her protector. Maybe he heard the noise. She opened every door, looking to find him.

Soon, she found him in a simple guest room.

He was sitting in front of a shattered mirror, his knees hugging his chest, facing the open door. She didn't know what was hiding behind him.

His long hair was covering his face, and his shoulders kept raising in an odd rhythm. Was he...crying?

His muffled sniffles and hair shielded face gave it away.

"Hey, are you alright? Why are you crying?" Jace asked softly. Marion looked up slowly and tried to hold his tears. He wiped his face with his hand and sniffed.

"N-N-Nothing J-Jace. I-I'm f-fine." Marion replied through the large lump in his throat.

Jace was about to walk up to him, but Marion held his hand to her, signaling her to stay where she was.

"D-Don't come closer. I-I don't want you to see me like this. I-I'm fine."

Jace shook her head. She walked in, closed the door behind her and walked to him.

Once she saw what he meant, she stared in awe.

Wings? He had...wings? Since when did he have wings?

The wings seemed to glows in a light blue colors, and shimmered in the darkness of the room. They slumped on his back, leaning against the fabric of his shirt.

"You...you have...wings. Real wings!" Jace said aloud in a gentle tone.

Marion moved his face from the crook of his elbow and gave out a shaky sigh. The tears were still rolling down his cheeks, and his eyes were red. His eyelashes matted with salty tears from his eyes, and his hair was becoming messy.

"I don't want them. They hold too much of a burden. Too much memories. They're too painful for me to look at."

Jace sat down and curled her knees to her chest.

"Why don't you like them? They look beautiful. Why do you hate them so much?"

Marion shook his head. "You don't understand. They bring back memories. Painful memories. And I was fine with running away from those memories. They remind me of all of my failure. I'm just a failure of a knight. I fear them."

Jace shook her head. He was wrong. Dead wrong. She took up a large piece of the shattered mirror and held it out, the reflection of his and her face appearing.

Marion's eyes bulged. He looked like a wreck! He sighed and looked away from the mirror, a few more tears slipping.

Jace looked at him and wiped his tears with her thumb.

"Shhh, look at this. What do you see?"

Marion looked into the shard of reflective glass and quickly looked away.

"You...and me." Marion said.

Jace smiled softly.

"You know what I see?" Jace asked him, "I see two people. A man and a woman. Usually nothing special. Ya see, that's how deceiving a mirror can be. It only shows what others see. Not what you see. What I really see, is a girl just trying to make her way her way in the world."

Marion smiled. That was the Jace he knew. The one who always knew what to say, what to so. She always knew what was on her mind. And he knew what was on hers.

"And you know what else I see?" Jace asked. She pointed at him through the mirror.

"I see a man with the biggest heart mankind has ever laid eyes on. A man, who would never back down, who knows what's right and stick up for it. He's not a failure. You're not a failure. These wings are special, don't treat them badly. They were built just for you. They're strong, brave, just like you."

Jace smiled as she felt strong arms wrap around her.

"Thank you." was all he could say, but it held great emotion.

"Just promise me something."

"What?"

"When Jace Create comes back, where ever she is, tell her that I'm proud of her and I want to be like her someday."

A tear slipped from her eyes, but Marion wiped it away.

"I promise, I'll tell her." was his simple reply.

"Cross your sword and hope to die?" Jace asked softly.

Marion looked at her and smiled. Jac wasn't actually gone. She was in there. Somewhere inside the woman before him. It just took some time for him to see. How could he have thought he lost her? When she was eight in front of him? This was Jace. His Jace. The one he knew all too well.

"I swear."


	11. Chapter 11

Once the Guardians came, they couldn't believe their eyes.

"That's not Jace! It can't be! She a little girl. And this so called "Jace" is a full grown woman! What happened to her?!" Tooth practically screamed, making Bunny flatten his ears.

Jace was upset. Fisrt off, she barely knew these people, well..."spirits". At least that's what they call themselves.

Second, she didn't know who they were talking about. Jace Create? Who in the world is that? She IS JACE! Jace Carter, not Jace Create. Two different people.

Third, she was mad at herself, for not remember much of anything. Of course, she remembered some things, but it wasn't enough.

Everything was just ticking her off and setting her temper ablaze.

"I AM JACE! HOW MUCH TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?!" Jace screamed at the pretty hummingbird lady.

Tooth automatically stopped talking and flew back in shock.

"Okay, you say you're Jace, we understand that. But happened to you?" Jack asked her.

Jace shook her head and looked down to the ground. She felt like screaming in the air. They didn't get it! She never changed.

"Look," Jace told them harshly. They were working her last nerve,"I never changed. I've been the same for as long as I can remember. I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm grown up, see?" Jace said to them.

Tooth flew to her an put her hand on Jace's shoulder. By her soft touch, Jace had almost immediately calmed down and her features became soft. There was no anger evident in body language or facial features.

North mentally took note of this. It seemed that when she felt a soft touch, she would calm down and relax. It just seemed to make her calm. Maybe it reminded her of something. Maybe someone? Someone from her past?

"Jace, do you remember anything that happened recently? Do you even remember us?" Bunny asked her, worried for her well being.

"I remember you. You're Australian rabbit from Easter. But I was nine at that time."

The whole room became silent, at least from their voices. The faint clatter of elves and yetis could still be heard.

"Jace, what year were you born?" Tooth asked. Maybe her birthday would give them a hint.

"1960. Why?" The room became silent again. That meant that Jace wasn't 40 years old. She was over 50!

"Jace, do you know what this means? You're over 50 years old! Well, you're still the youngest spirit but you're more than ten years older than you thought you were." Jack told her while hugging Bunny's arm in excitement.

Jace looked at them as if they were crazy.

"I couldn't be 50! I'm not that old! Ugh, forget this, I'm going to find Mark." Jace stomped off to find her protector, leaving them in her dust. They were so unbelievable! How coyld she be 50 years old?! She was at least 20.

Marion headed down the stairs, seeing Jace stomping up. Jace grabbed his arm and dragged him downstairs. Who knew she was so strong! Marion was grabbed to the meeting room where the Guadians were seated. They hadn't seen his wings before, so they stared at them in awe.

"Look, tell them that I'm not 50 years old!" Jace told him.

"50? You're only 40." Marion replied, a little confused. Why would she ask him about her age?

North patted him on his shoulder, gently, avoiding the limp wings on his back.

"Jace born 1960. She over 50! Amazing!" North said with glee.

"50! If she is 50, why dis she say she was 40?" Marion asked. He was confused. He didn't know Jace was 50! Even though she was still the youngest spirit, that was a big jump for her. Wait...ugh! That dastardly woman! She did this to Jace!

"I think Fae may have lied to her about her age." Marion told them, a frown placed on his lips. He was going to get her for what she did. Everything she did to Jace...and...to him. She was going to pay.

Jace just stood there, wondering why it was becoming so quiet. It was getting on her nerves.

"Hey! Why is it so quiet? Come on, it's not that bad! Don't feel bad for me or anything."

Marion just started laughing. Soon, Jack joined, then North, then the whole room was filled with laughter. Even some of the yetis and elves started to laugh.

"Jace, we're going to help you. And get the people responsible. We're going to help you." Marion reassured her.

Jace broke down to the floor, tears silently slipping down her cheek. She didn't know what she was going to do. She couldn't remember anything and all of these people were trying to help her. Yet she always let her temper get in the way of her judgement. Maybe she should have just trusted them frm the start.

"I know. Please...just help me."


	12. Chapter 12

Jace laid in bed, Jack sitting at the foot of the bed. Jace was sitting with a pencil in one hand and a new sketchbook that Nicky (her new nickname for him) gave her earlier. She and Jack have been talking for almost an hour, blurting out anything that came to mind.

She had opened the sketchbook as soon as she plopped on her bed, yet nothing has happened. She didn't know what to draw. This usually didn't happen. She usually had an idea of something to draw.

Yet, she has been staring at the blank paper vefore her and couldn't think of anything to draw. Not even a simple sketch.

"Jace? Jace? Are you okay?" Jack asked as he snapped his fingers in front of her face, but got no response. He put his hand on hers and she seemed to immediately snapped out of her dazed phase. Jace almost immediately relaxed her features and sighed.

"Sorry, I just...spaced out fro a moment." Jace said as she rubbed her head. She felt a dull pain in her head, but decided to ignore it

"Jace, are you sure you're okay? I hope that your sister taking your powers away didn't take too much of a toll on you. Losing our imagination must have been tough." Jack said to her softly.

He was really sad for her. He almost burst into tears. She was special, unique. Bo one could really replace her. She was the reason why he confessed his feeling to Bunny. He didn't want to lose her.

"Yeah, I'm just worried, I guess. If someone took all my powers, what's going to happen to me? It must be more than that if someone was able to turn me into an adult."

Jack smiled, then slightly frowned when he saw that she still hasn't drawn anything. This was more serious than he thought.

"Are you thinking of something to draw?" Jack asked. Jace slowly nodded in response.

"Yeah Darcy, in a minute. I just need to find out what to draw." Jack immediately looked at her, a little confused. Was he just hearin things, or did Jace just call him Darcy?

"Jace...who's Darcy?"

Jace looked at him, with shock and suprise mixed into her features.

"Did I say that? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It's just that you look like my childhood friend. Actually, you look exactly like her! I'm really sorry!" Jace freaked out. She had accidentally the wonter spirit Darcy!

"It's okay. Who's Darcy?" Jack asked, a little curious of who this person might be.

Once he asked that question, the pain in her jead increased. Jace grabbed her head, desperately trying to stop the pain. It was increasing more and more, making it unbearable.

"Ahhhhh! UUUUUGGGGHHH! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Jace began to scream to the top of her lungs.

The pain...it seemed to increase more and more by every passing second. Soon, the pain became too much, and Jace simply passed out onto the floor.

Jack freaked out and gathered all of his strength to pull her onto her bed. He tucked her into the large, fluffy sheets and immediately left the room to find North And Marion. Maybe they could help.

Jack soon found North near the Globe, yelling orders to the yetis.

"North! North! Jace just had another headache! This one was even worse than the last" Jack told him, slightly raising his voice in anxiety.

North nodded and they both left to her room, where she was passed out on the soft bed. Strands of her waist long, white hair was matted onto her forehead with sweat. She looked terrible and with just one look, North could tell that there wasn't much time left. Fae and Pitch were working quickly and soon, would become almost unstoppable.

"Jack, get Marion. We must inform him of Jace's condition." Jack left the room to find Marion, and spotted him in the kitchen, talking to Yuletide with a sad, displeasing voice.

"Marion, Jace just had a headache again. They're getting worse." Jack simply said. Marion darted up the stairs, despite having wings on his back. He would have to ask about them later.

Marion barged into the room, Jack trailing behind him. He looked at her. She was brething irregularly and her forehead was sweaty.

Marion sighed, moving the matted hair from her face. He was a horrible protector. Even though their was no way to stop Fae from her actions, he couldn't push away the deep feeling that it was his fault Jace was inthis situation.

"Jace, I'm sorry. I wish I could have stopped her. I really didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm...I'm so sorry."


	13. Chapter 13

"Marion, this isn't your fault. No one could have stopped Fae. It wasn't anyone's fault. She'll be okay." Jack reassured him as they sat at the foot of the bed.

Marion slightly shook his head, as if disagreeing with him.

"I don't know Jack. I just have a bad feeling about all of these events. I feel that every time I look away, close my eyes, turn my back, anything...I feel that she'll just get hurt. I don't know what to do anymore. I just...can't protect her."

Marion plopped his face into his cupped hands, both his hands and his hair covering the young, hopeless face that was shielded behind them. He just felt helpless. He couldn't protect her from Fae Ice, no matter how hard he tried. And now that he had his wings, he felt the memories flowing back into place and making him feel even worse. Yuletide had tried to convince him that there was nothing to worry about...but how could he protect an take care of Jace if he could barely do the same for himself?

A tear slipped through his hands and fell. What happened to the tear before it fell made Jack wonder about the knight.

Right as the tear was falling, it became frozen and shattered on the ground like glass. The room dropped a few degrees colder, and it wasn't Jack doing it. Then it hit him.

Marion was a winter elemental.

"Marion, you're a winter elemental?" Jack asked, not really meaning to.

Marion nodded, his hands and hair still covering his face. Jack smiled. He had never met a winter elemental so nice. They were usually mean and rude. It was surprising to find a winter spirit so nice an polite.

"Don't worry Marion. Jace is stronger than she looks. She'll be alright. She's done it before and she can do it again."

Jace then began to stir, her eyes fluttering open and her vision becoming clear.

Jace jumped out of the bed. How could she be so energized after she ha been passed out?

Marion and Jack got up from the bed

All of the other Guardians entered the room after hearing the large boom. Jace stared at everyone, looking at them as if they were crazy. Her eyes were wide and darting at each figure, secretly analyzing each of them.

She was only in a t-shirt and baggy jeans and her body freely showed off her muscles.

That headache...someone did that to her. It sounded odd but it didn't just happen naturally. It was as if someone was controlling her mind.

"Which one of you did that?! Who gave me that headache?!"

They all looked at her with great concern and worry. Marion stepped forward, reaching out, although she was on the other side of the bed.

"Jace...we can help you..."

Jace screamed in frustration, and her eyes seemed to glow in its dull grey color.

She crawled under the bed, which made them confused.

"Jace, come out from under there!" Tooth yelled, bending down to look under the king bed.

The bed began to rise of the ground and raise into the air. Jace held it with her two hands, holding it up with ease.

She had developed super strength?!

"Someone better give me some answers...NOW!"

North walked to her and put his hand on her shoulder, which seemed to calm her instantly.

"Jace, be calm, friend. We are here to help you, not hurt you. Please...put the bed down."

Jace followed his orders and placed the bed back onto the solid ground with a small thud.

She began to rub her head, as if she was trying to concentrate.

"But...it felt like someone did this to me. Nick...what's happening to me?"

"We don't exaclt know yet, but we'll find out. Don't worry." North reassured her.

Jace wanted to scream, but she held it in. These people people were only trying to help her. They may be odd, in looks and personalities, but they only wanted to help her. Maybe she really could trust them to help her in the situation.

Jace walked out, just wanting to be alone. She could hear the footsteps and buzzing of the Guardians, but let the footsteps drown with the other sounds in the workshop. She pushed past the yetis and skipped over the clumsy elves. She could hear them calling her name, but she kept walking, wishing to find a quiet place to reieve all of her stress and think.

Meanwhile, Marion stayed in the room, staring at the Moon through the glass window. The Moon was the only one he could turn to now.

"Tsar, I don't understand. Why did you choose me of all people to be her protector? I am incapable of protecting her or myself. Now, Jace has become an adult. What can I do? What will hapen to her now?"

_Bring her to me. Jace is merely hidden within the core of her heart. She is still Jace Create. She just doesn't know it yet. Bring her to me._


	14. Chapter 14

"She won't listen to me. It's enough that she doesn't believe anything we tell her. If I tell her the Man in the Moon wants to talk to her, she'll think we're insane. I don't think it would be such a great idea to talk to her."

The Moon stayed silent, but glowed even brighter. Marion never really understood Tsar. He always had the right answers, yet never wanted to reall say, like a shy boy in math class.

Jace walked out of the large workshop, feeling the breeze bite her toes, but nothing else. She couldn't really feel the cold bite of the wind against her skin, but didn't really care either. She just needed to be alone for now.

Jace began to walk further into the cold snow, not wanting to be anywhere near the so called "spirits". She just kept walking...and walking...and walking.

Soon, Jace felt the need to just sit and think. She closed her eyes and all of the thoughts that seemed to flow into place.

Spirits? Magic? These were the things you'd hear in fairytales and legends and myths and fables. These were thing you saw in your daydreams, when you're sleeping...your imagination.

Even though there was a small part of her that really loved the thought of being able to see and talk and actually _be _a spirit, she just didn't want to.

This had happened through her whole life. She was always teased because of what she thought, what she believed in. Of course she thought that all of these childhood idols (who seem to call themselves "Guardians") were real. She still did?

Who else was giving her that extra present? She never really told her parents about them, yet the perfect present was always under the tree, just for her. On a small card signed _"From Santa Claus" _written in different print was definitely not from her parents. A glint of unspeakable wonder gleamed in her eyes, and made her world brighter and brighter. Who esle but Santa Claus?

Who else was replacing her small tooth with a glittering quarter? Even though it was only A simple coin, to her, was a gem, freshly cut and ready to shine. It was special, because a certain little fairy (which turned out to have a little help) gave it to her. That quarter...was a gem. A memory traded for a jewel was a fair trade in her book. Who else but the Tooth Fairy?

Who else could put such creamy, moist chocolate into the eggs that were collected by millions everywhere? Every child, boy or girl, tall or short, copper skinned or pale white, would open their beautifully decorated eggs that made your imagination spin and their daydreams come to life, and get a taste of chocolate that seemed out of this world. Chocolate so good, it made Hershey's and Godiva taste like dust and dirt in comparison. A small egg that seemed to change your frown into an ear-to-ear smile. Who else but a certain little (who turns out to be over six feet tall) could give her such hope?

Who else was giving her such beautiful dreams. Dreams that were so imaginative and unique, that it became one of the sole inspirations of her artwork. The dreams that made her drift away from reality and into the crazy colorful world that was hidden in the deep, earthy soil of her heart, mind and soul. Daydreams tht could wisk you away to a land that made colors unthinkable and anything impossible. Who else but the Sandman could do such amazing things?

And how could she ever forget Jack Frost? No matter how cold the season may be, she didn't care. The frost patterns on her bedroom window made it clear. You may not see him, but he was there. Jack Frost was out there, spreading his blizzards where the wind may take him. And when snow came, fun seemed to follow after. How could her life be fun without those snow days?

But, she was teased anyway. Teased because of her beliefs and her dreams and her hope and her memories and her wonder and her fun. And it never stopped her from believing. No matter what, she refused to stop believing.

Jace's face felt warm, a little hot actually. It didn't really hurt, but she was in the middle of the North Pole. Was there such thing as heat here?

Jace opened her eyes to see a small fire floating before her. A small red fiery being that just seemed to stare at her. She reached out to touch it, but it disappeared into the frosty air and appeared farther from her face, but still reachable from where she sat.

Jace reached out again and cupped it into her hands. The fire felt warm and cozy in her hands, but the fire's glow seemed to become brighter. It began to glow at a fast pace. It became so bright, that she couldn't help but squeeze her eyes shut.

While this was happening, Marion was walking around to find Jace. He could tell she was around here somewhere. He didn't know how, but he seemed to have a connection with her in a way.

Marion walked a little further and found her in the white blankets of snow, holding something familiarly red and bright. Wait...red. Oh no.

A wisp. A red wisp.

But it was too late. Jace was gone in an instant and he ha a feeling of where she was.

Jace fell to the ground feeling a small but painless pull at her head. She got off the floor to see that she was in a small clearing. But once she turned around, she couldn't help but be curious.

A bed frame. A small, tattered, worn, wooden bed frame. There wasn't even a bed there. It was just the frame. Once she looked a little closer, she saw that there were little frost patterns around the legs of the frame. Small little patterns, but not unnoticeable.

Jace looked through the large, broken hole in the bed frame and saw that there was a dark tunnel dug deep into the ground. She didn't know why, but she let her curiosity get the better of her and slipped through the small, deep tunnel, un aware of the dark terror that lurked inside.


	15. Chapter 15

Falling deeper and deeper, Jace could feel something wrap around her ankles. What looked to be a glowing bluish black lasso made of...sand...roughly scratched her as it pulled her down through the black tunnel.

The lasso pulled even harder and slammed her into the icy, solid ground. Letting out a pained scream and silent groan, she struggled to her feet and stared at the sand lasso that dimly glowed.

The glow vanished and left her in the complete darkness. Jace started to walk forward into the darkness.

"Hello! Who's here?! HEELLLLLLOOOO!" Jace screamed into the cold air, not expecting the immediate response she received.

"My, my. Look how much you've grown. Such a mature, young woman. Tall as well." said a deep, slithering voice.

"Who's there! Who are you?!"

"Ah, you don't remember us,sister?" asked another voice, more feminine but still had poison in it. "You don't remember defeating me with this?"

Something fell to the ground and Jace kneeled to try and find it. After feeling around for a few moments, she felt something. A...paintbrush?

"A little girl defeated you with a paintbrus-Whoa!" The paintbrush transformed into a sword, but the only thing she could see was the colorful centric pattern that glowed at the edges.

"So you know of your true form? Your spiritual form?" The feminine voice asked.

"There is no spiritual Jace! I'm not even sure Jace Create is real!"

Two smiles hid in the darkness, but glowing eyes made their presence known.

"You really think that you just grew up to become who you are now? **_We _**did this to you. It's called revenge, sister. Maybe as an adult, you'll learn some manners."

The lasso again wrapped around her leg and pulled her into the air. Jace screamed to the top of her lungs as the lasso pulled at a quick speed.

The lasso stopped and she felt herself hanging upside down. Jace felt light headed as her stomach churned.

The rough, bluish black lasso began to glow and revealed two faces. One was a young woman, looked about 25 with smooth skin and icy blue eyes. Her hair was so blond, it looked white.

The man looked like he was at least in his 30's. His eyes were golden yellow and his skin was gray. His jet black hair was spiky.

"Who...who are you?" Jace asked weakly. She held the sword tightly in her hand, ready to use it.

"Your worse nightmare. I can see your fear. The fear that resides deep inside you. The fear you try to hide. I am fear."

Jace raised the sword, ready to cut the lasso, but suddenly, she heard something grunt and cut the air, and she began to fall. The duo of the dark disappeared into the pitch blackness. The rope had cut her ankle, but her high pain tolerance and her current situation, that was the last thing on her mind.

Jace began to scream as she fell into the dark abyss below her. Before crashing into the solid ground just below her, something...no someone caught her in the nick of time.

"Who was that?" Pitch asked, hints of curiosity and amusement in his voice.

"Her only hope."

Strong arms held her close and secure, as they flew through the tunnel and to the surface, suprisingly slipping through the bed frame. She could feel them land on the ground, but also realized that her eyes were closed and the person was still holding her.

Jace opened her eyes to realize her face was snuggled in his chest. Wait...his!

Jace pushed him away, causing both of them to fall onto the ground. Jace glared at the figure in anger, but it instantly diminished when she saw who it was.

Marion.

"Marion! How did you know where I was?" Jaace asked.

"I saw the wisp take you away. I knew that Pitch had sent the wisp, so I looked for his lair entrance. I've seen it before."

Jace got up from the floor, but instantly fell back down. Silently hissing in pain, she remembered. The ankle. The rope cut it, and seems to have twisted it as well. Marion, seeing her slightly minor injury, walked over and picked her up. Holding her fireman style, he guided her to a tree and laid her beside it.

"What's that crazy lady's problem?! And that weird, creepy guy?!" Jace blurted out.

Marion was going to answer, but realized that the Guardians would be waiting for her arrival, and would most likely want to hear about her little "trip".

But...there was one thing he just needed to know. Something...no, someone he hoped she would remember...

"Jace...do you remember your best friend's name?"

"No, I don't remember her name, but I remember her. Albino girl, right? The memories are still a little fuzzy. Why do you keep asking me questions? Don't you trust me?"

Marion let out a small, silent sigh through his nostrils. She didn't understand why these memories mattered. How they could help her.

"Jace, well, Jace Create, has foes and enemies that would try to hurt her for many reasons. For her power, her opinions and views. I'm just here to keep you safe from harm."

"Foes? What foes? The way you and the others talk about her, you'd think she was an angel! Doesn't she have any flaw or weakness?"

Marion stayed quiet for a moment, then spoke again.

"I don't know for sure, but everyone has flaws and weaknesses. Every mortal, every spirit. Everyone has an Achilles heel that could break them down in some sort of way. Even Jace. You may not hurt her on purpose, but the feelings that reside in your heart may hurt her physically, since she resides there as well."

"But I just don't get it." Jace said, accidentally speaking what was on her mind.

"What powers did she have? How did she do all of these amazing things? How do her powers work?"

Marion just stared.

"Well, she used her imagination. I don't exactly know how she does it. I guess she just imagines something and it becomes real."

Jace was still confused.

"Then why did she need a protector? No offense, but if Jace Create is so powerful, why does she need you by her side?"

Marion smiled, as if the answer was plain and simple.

"Jace Create may be one of the strongest spirits...but she's still a child."

Jace looked down at her feet, now covered with leather boots with a metal tip. They were black before, but had turned white over time. That happened to her clothes as well.

"Wait, so Jace Create is just a little kid? Then how is she so powerful?"

Marion just shrugged.

"I don't know. She is made of the most powerful magic among spirits, but not even Fae Ice or Mother Nature can do what she does. It's a mystery. Only three spirits have been created with such powerful magic, yet she seems to be able what seems impossible."

Jace nodded and the duo looked down simultaneously, as if thinking the same thing.

How would they get out of this?


End file.
